Against Death
by QueenyLeAcH
Summary: AU: Levy is a ghost. A ghost who's trying to fit the pieces of her past together. To know how she died and why.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: If you think I own this, then you are sadly mistaken.**

**For: Miki Boy! Merry Christmas! As MissCandyDreamer on YouTube she asked for a Levy/Gajeel story, and I was only too happy to oblige. ^^ Hope you enjoy.**

**Warning: Characters may be OC**

Against Death

Chapter 1

Levy POV

I was floating in darkness. Memories of my past swam around me, a pale square of sunlight. These many memories were the only colors to offset the suffocating black around me. One floated by, close enough to touch. I reached out -

The room smelled of moldy paper and candle wax, yet it was the one room in the entire mansion that I truly felt comfortable in. In there I was able to be me. Not a royal; not an aristocrat; absolutely nothing was expected of me. It was bliss.

The memory floated away. I was sad to see the towers of books and comfortable leather chairs go, but I also knew that that day was in the past, the moment forever gone. Another memory floated by, this one a bright blue -

-just like the mid-day sky. The summer sun warmed my face, and the breeze ruffled my thick, blue hair. The grass beneath me tickled my bare ar_ms and neck. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the tolling church bells. A sound terribly out of place on a Tuesday. I sad up, anxious about sneaking out, when a group rode by on horseback. One of them spotted me and called to his companions. As one they turned their horses and galloped toward me._

_ Dirt billowed and clouded my eyes as the beasts blurred around me. Eventually, they stopped. The riders all wore black leggings and turtle necks though, much to my surprise, their faces were bare, save one who wore a dark cloth over his eyes, and their hair flowed freely. "What do we have here?" asked one, his long black hair tangled and his dark eyes beady._

_ "The young duchess it seems," replied a woman with fiery hair. She jumped off her horse and pulled me to my feet. "She should fetch quite the ransom, don't you think?"_

_ "Yeah. Load her up," the masked man roared._

_ The woman laughed quietly – well, more of a chuckle – then she spun me around and tied a cloth over my eyes; another was cinched around my wrists. After, I was lifted into a saddle and the woman mounted behind me. Soon we were riding at a ridiculously fast pace. I loved it. I wanted to shout with joy, but feared the reaction that would most certainly come if I did. I settled with a comfortable smile._

The memory ended, but soon another took its place. It seemed as though the Darkness wanted me to know everything.

_We were sitting around a campfire. My hands were free of my bonds so that I could feed and relieve myself. Unfortunately, it also gave six sets of eyes a good reason to stare at me, an action that I hated. "Who are you?" I found myself asking, for I had yet to learn their names._

_ "We are the Shadows," one of the four men said, his hair long and green._

_ "The band of thieves?" I replied._

_ The brunette woman beside me giggled. "The one and only." _

_ "That's so cool," I exclaimed. Six pairs of eyes shot toward me, as if they thought I was certifiably insane. "What?"_

_ "We kidnapped you," the green haired man said slowly._

_ "I got that," I replied, exasperated._

_ "Why on Earth are you complementing us?" he finished._

_ "Because life at the estate was boring. I hated it. Reading novels about the great adventuresof others was the only form of excitement."_

_ "Why the past tense?" a dark pink haired youth said, sticking an apple in his mouth and crushing it. _

_ I leaned back, thinking about what I should say. "I don't expect to go back," I replied. "My parents don't give squat about me, especially when they have my brother to dote upon."_

_ A shadow loomed over me. I inclined my head only to see the messy haired leader staring down at me. His lips parted in a crooked smile. "I like your spark," he said. "You start training tomorrow."_

_ "So she's staying?" asked the red-headed woman, who just so happened to be observing me intently, like she was the predator and I the prey. It sent chills down my spine. _

_ "I don't see why not. She doesn't want to go home anyway." He pointed to himself by way of introduction, "Gajeel." The read-head who's expression had changed to one of a person relishing the thought of a challenge. Hoo boy. "Erza. Freed," the finger had moved onto the green haired man, then to the brunette beside him. "Evergreen." He sat down and motioned to the masked man. "Bickslow; blind," he said, explaining the dark cloth. Finally, the finger moved to the pink haired youth, "Natsu." Then, quite unexpectedly, the ginger pointed at me. "Levy. Welcome to the Shadows."_

The memory floated away, this time taking all the others with it. I reached out, and felt a tugging in my gut. Panic gripped at my being and I flailed. Then a bright light slid beneath me, engulfing me. I closed my eyes and waited for the worst.

**The end... of chapter 1! A multi chap for you too^^ Hope you enjoyed this. And I hope that you enjoy the rest as I put it up. Hope you had a very Merry Christmas.**

**REVIEW**

**-LeAcH**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**For: Miki Boy**

Against Death

Chapter 2

Levy POV

I heard laughing: the deep rumble of a young man and the high pitch of a teenage girl. I opened my eyes and watched the pair walk by from behind a stone pillar. The girl had long, oceanic hair, so very similar to my own; she was wearing a long, silver dress of a simple cut. I remembered wearing things like that. In contrast, the man beside her was garbed completely in black; his hair was a bright blue and his dark green eyes shown with affection for the girl. "Siblings?" I mused aloud.

"No, he's her bodyguard," a voice answered. I snapped around to see a young woman, her golden hair carefully tied atop her head, and she had a pair of big, chocolate eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, seeing my frightened face. "I didn't mean to scare you. I'm Lucy." She held out her hand.

I reached forward and my hand passed right through. I snapped my arm back. "What?" I croaked.

"It's okay," Lucy said, trying to soothe me. "It's okay."

I moved my feet, but I didn't moved forward; then I started running, panicked, yet I still didn't move an inch. I fell to the ground and started sobbing. Lucy started humming, an unexpected action to say the least. It was a song I recognized too. I remember my mother singing it to my brother just before bed: _Even if evidence of my non-existence in this place were thrust before me, it has always been inside my right pocket. _Somehow, hearing it kindled a glow in me and my tears started to dry.

"Feel better?" Lucy asked.

I nodded. "Thank you." I paused for a moment. "How do you know that song?"

"Huuun," she murmured, surprised. "My mother used to sing it to me. Why?"

"My mom sang it too. Sorry about prying."

"Not a big deal, so, what's your name?"

"Levy," I responded, settling down for a conversation. "Levy McGarden."

"The Runaway Duchess?" Lucy said, incredulous.

"Yeah, why? Is it not true?"

I looked up, recalling the memories that the Darkness had showed me. "In a way. I was kidnapped first though."

Lucy looked dumbstruck. "So you ran away from your kidnappers?"

"No. I joined them, actually." Lucy's expression became horrified. "Shall I explain in further detail?" I requested, trying to soothe her worries about me. I nodded and told her about everything that the Darkness showed me, including the existence of the darkness itself.

"Any idea what happened after?" Lucy said, still processing the information.

"No idea," I replied. "I just can't remember. Wish it was the opposite though."

"That's okay," Lucy said, patting the stone next to my leg. "It will all come back with time." She looked around, then back at her watch. "I'd better go. The castle doesn't clean itself. It was nice meeting you, Levy," she said, standing. "I'd love to hear more once more of your memory returns."

I got back on my feet. "I look forward to it."

**If you have not yet, then please go and read my story "Alight." This you must do because this story and that are going to become seriously intertwined over the next few chapters. In order to get the full picture you must read "Alight!"**

**REVIEW please**

**-LeAcH**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing! Song is Evidence by Daisy x Daisy.**

**For: Miki Boy**

Against Death

Chapter 3

Levy POV

That night the Darkness came for me again. It enclosed me in a cocoon, blocking the my sight of the full moon. Panic bubbled in my chest and I began to flail; my hand landed on a dark night -

_The stars glistened in the sky, sending my hyper spirit out to play so that my body could have a rest. I started singing, "Gomen ne tte negedashite kizusuketa boku mo arigatou tte hohoende uketometa kimi mo ikite kuku imi wa nani hitotsu kawaranai kara."_

_ "Interesting song," Gajeel's voice boomed. "What's it mean?"_

_ "Both for me, who apologized, ran off, and hurt you, and for you who thanked me, smiled, and accepted me, the meaning of life does not change or vary."_

The moment floated away, the song still resounding in my head. Scarcely a second passed before a second memory took its place.

_I ran at her, trying to land a hit on her body with the gnarled stick. Same as I had every day this week. I was exhausted and tired of running in circles, and I was in dire need of a bath. Erza taunted me, calling me a weakling, someone that needed protecting. Anger cleared my judgment and I stopped lunging. I kept Erza in my sights and managed to tune her out long enough to come up with a plan. I turned and ran, feigning defeat. I scrambled up a tree once I was out of sight of the camp and waited for pursuit. They passed by quickly and they were all back in their camp by sundown._

_ Quietly, I swung from tree to tree, a skill I had perfected in my many attempts to get in and out of the castle unnoticed. Soon I was above their camp; there I waited until their fire became nothing more than smoking embers. _

_ I hopped down from my perch and tip-toed over to the tent. Inside I rooted through Evergreen's bag until I found and inkwell and quill. From there I proceeded to each of the Shadows sleeping forms and marked every one of them with an X on either their forehead or their necks._

_ I returned Evergreen's belongings and crept back into the trees to rest until morning. I chose a tree with a wide trunk and that was close enough to the campsite that I could hear the commotion tomorrow. Either way, I was proud of what I achieved today._

The Darkness released me and I was returned to Flurentine Castle.

**Sorry that it's so super short, but it also has some very important details in it. Also, if you didn't follow my advice about "Alight" in the last chapter, then here is a reminder.**

**REVIEW please.**

**-LeAcH**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**For: Miki Boy**

Against Death

Chapter 4

Levy POV

Lucy came to visit me often enough, well, as often as she could get away from cleaning. One day we were sitting around analyzing my memories – apparently I was quite the capable thief – when one of the pages scampered by. He completely passed us and had to backtrack.

"Lucy," the boy huffed. "The king needs you to give him a haircut." Beneath his blue cap his snow white hair glistened with sweat.

"Are you okay?" I asked. He didn't answer. "Lucy, can he hear me?" She shrugged and moved to stand behind me.

The boy cocked his head. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing, Elfman. I'm on my way. Would you mind letting his majesty know that I have to stop by my room for scissors, then hide and get some rest. If you're not careful, you'll get sick." The boy nodded and ran off. Lucy turned to me and waved. "See you later, Levy."

I waved back. She disappeared and then the Darkness decided that it would be a good time to pull me in. Thankfully, I had become accustomed to the tugging sensation and was able to fall into its hold with ease.

The memories floated close and I reached out -

_The kiss was electric. It set all my nerves on fire and the rest of them smoldered where he touched. Nearly a year had passed since I joined the Shadows, and nearly as much time had passed since I realized how dearly I loved him; but that didn't mean I was any less surprised by the kiss. We broke apart and I stared up at him. "I love you," he said. His dark eyes were earnest and full of compassion; none of the teasing that usually resided in there._

_ "Feelings that I return in full," I replied, kissing him again._

_ Unfortunately, our moment ended when Natsu charged into the clearing. "Gajeel, we're being attacked. Bickslow is unconscious and everyone else is on their last leg. The enemy just won't stop."_

_ Gajeel's grip om my arm tightened. "If I asked you to stay put, would you?"_

_ "Nope. Where you go, I go. Promise."_

_ He kissed me again. "Your promise is going to become a hell of a problem, ya know that?"_

_ I cracked a smile. "All promises do that." He looked down at me, worried, yet he still managed a smile of his own._

The memory threw me for a loop. I knew that in the past I had strong feelings for Gajeel, but to finally know that he returned those feelings made me giddy beyond belief. I reached for another memory, but instead I was catapulted back into Flurentine Castle.

The stone walls around me shook.

**And done with chapter 4. Whoot. I am on a roll. Even if the past two chapters were terribly short.**

**REVIEW please**

**-LeAcH**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**For: Miki Boy. Happy New Year!**

Against Death

Chapter 5

Levy POV

Impossible. I'd heard nothing of Magnolia going to war with anybody, so who could have made the castle shake so? _Panic gripped my heart. The woman in front of me was no woman at all. She was a demon with long, glowing, white hair and icy eyes. Her black dress split into two at the waist, barely covering her torso and abdomen, and the skirt stopped at mid-thigh. "Hello," she crooned._

I lurched out of the memory, confused. The Darkness didn't pull me into it this time; instead it lobbed the memory at me. Was something going on? Did the Darkness need to show me something important? Is that why it was being so severe?

_I collapsed on the ground. I tried to stand, but my burning limbs forbade the motion. Gajeel was thrown to the ground beside me. He wasn't given the chance to rise on his own because the demoness lifted him to his feet by his neck. The veins on his neck popped out as his brain became oxygen starved._

_ "Stop!" I cried with as much strength as I could muster._

_ The woman turned her attention to me, dropping Gajeel to the ground. She yanked on my hair, pulling me to my feet. "Why should I?He'll be such a very nice pet."_

_ "Levy," he called out. The demoness dropped me to the ground and I hit my head on a rock. Soon blood was pooling around me and I was loosing my grasp on reality. The last thing I heard was a dragon's roar._

I was pulled back to reality by an echo of the roar from my memory. I rushed through the halls, following the sound until I came upon the demoness from my memory – looking exactly as she did on that day – riding upon a great, silver dragon. It roared again and breathed a rain of shrapnel upon the roof of the throne room.

I watched, utterly helpless, and the dome collapsed.

"Noooooooooooo!"

The dragon turned its great head in my direction, seeming to have heard me.

**And I'll end it here. ^^ Hope you all are enjoying this story. And remember that you need to read "Alight" in order to know what happened inside the throne room!**

**REVIEW**

**-LeAcH**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own.**

**Note: Still for Miki Boy. So sorry that this update took so long. Hope it gives you bubblies! Also, a big thank you to my beta Vixen48!**

Against Death

Chapter 6

Levy POV

I saw my image reflected in his great silver eye. Bolts of recognition flashed over and over again, but he did not act. The demoness cracked her whip and blood gushed from a bare patch of skin beneath his eye. "Get back to work," she growled angrily.

The dragon whimpered once and started tearing into the stones. He kept glancing at me, but I was frozen, helpless. I had no idea whether or not he could see me, but I knew that he never looked right at me. Maybe he sensed me more than anything else? While I pondered this, the beast pulled a man with strawberry-blond hair from the rubble. Wasn't that…the king? The demoness smirked. "Sol," she ordered.

A man with big, round glasses and chestnut hair scurried forth. "Yes, mistress?"

"Fix the castle, and find Totomaru."

"Yes, mistress," he said obediently, raising his hands above his head and causing the stones started to mesh together like dough. Soon I was positioned outside the complete throne room, which looked exactly as it did before the demoness had forced the dragon destroy it. I glanced back at Sol, he was panting heavily and sweat beaded his brow.

"Good," the white-haired being praised. "Now go fetch Totomaru. I expect a swift return."

He bowed. "Yes, mistress." He trotted off, clutching at his side. I longed to follow him, to make sure he was okay, but I refrained. I had to know what the demon was up to.

The demoness walked into the throne room, heels clicking loudly. I waited for the dragon to slither in behind her before entering myself. The white-haired woman reclined herself on the throne. I was disgusted. How dare she act like what she was doing was right? I fumed as I listened to her talk. "Iron, you've done well. And just think, soon Sky and Fire will also be under my control and then you won't be alone anymore."

To my astonishment, the dragon started to shrink, and his scales retracted. The silver lustre that once engulfed him became tan and his skin's leathery texture smoothed to that of normal human skin. Baggy crème pants replaced his tail, and steel toed boots took the place of his rear claws where spiked, fingerless gloved replaced his fore-claws. His spikes darkened and became a ratty nest of hair and his face was set in an irreplaceable sour expression. He spoke, and I knew it was the man from my visions. It was Gajeel. _Oh, Gajeel, what has she done to you?_ "I'm not alone," he said, "and besides, Natsu is dead. You killed him yourself, along with the rest of my friends."

The woman arched her right leg over her left, crossing them. "My dear, Iron, I only killed one person that day. The rest could were merely knocked unconscious."

Gajeel lunged, clearly enraged by her words, but a sudden, bright glow around his neck forced his face onto the tile. I wanted to race toward him but I knew it would do no good. I forced myself to stay put. While I was fighting my instincts, the demoness rose from her seat and approached Gajeel's shaking form. The flat of her boot smashed into the back of his head, and ground his face into the floor farther. "My pet," she crooned, and I listened, disgusted, "You know that that collar prevents you from ever hurting me. Why do you keep trying to escape? She's not waiting for you out there," she added the end on quietly. It took me a moment to realize she was talking about me. "So why get so upset? She died nearly fifteen years ago, there's nothing you can do to change that. Why bother resisting?"

Fifteen years. The reality hit me, _hard_. I'd known I was dead, but Lucy never told me for how long. My brother would be a man, my mother an old maid... I shook my head and focused on the conversation again. "Because I'm going to join her, but I'm not going to let you do this to anyone else either, you barbarian." The implications of his words sent ice through my being, but a sad smile still crept onto my face. He really cared that much…

The demoness rewarded his words of valor with a swift kick to the cheek. He slid across the floor. I shot toward him as he rose onto all fours, blood dribbling from his chin. I felt sick. How could I just sit here and allow him to be hurt? But I couldn't do anything! I was a simple spirit…just worthless. "Juvia!" the demoness called.

A woman with short, oceanic hair and sad eyes of the same color entered. She was dressed in an indigo parka and carried a matching umbrella, even though the sky outside was cloudless. Still, with a little stretch of the imagination, I could see this person with a terrible grey cloud shadowing her every move. "Yes, Mistress Mira?"

"Take this insolent beast to the dungeon. He needs time to reflect on his actions."

"Yes, mistress." Juvia walked over to Gajeel's shaking form and lifted his arm over her shoulders, supporting most of his weight. As they passed by I heard him whisper, "Thank you, Juvia."

For a moment, I wondered why he was thanking someone who was about to lock him up, but then it hit me. Juvia was a friend. I smiled warmly, glad. I followed them through the halls and down into the cells. There, Juvia used her feet to gather straw into a pile and lowered Gajeel down against the wall. "Just a second," she said, reaching for his bleeding cheek.

He grabbed her wrist. "No. Go." She nodded and walked out, locking the steel door behind her. When he knew that she was back up the stairs, he said, "I know you're there. Can you show yourself?"

I tried. I willed every fiber of my being to be seen by him, but no matter how hard I wished, he couldn't see me. I knelt down in front of him and started crying. "I can't. I truly wish I could, but I can't."

"Shhh. Levy, it's all right. I'm just happy to hear your voice, so happy. But…Why are you here? Why didn't you move on? I had hoped you'd left this twisted world already."

I leaned on the wall beside him and could feel the warmth he radiated naturally. I remembered cold nights by the campfire and I wished we could go back to those days. My tears started afresh. "I don't know," I answered. "Maybe because my spirit knew that you were hurting. Honestly, until a few months ago, I was floating alone in darkness. Right now though, I'm glad you're safe."

"Yeah. Me too."

For the next few days, I left only when Gajeel asked me to. During those times I explored the other cells. All but one was empty, and one day I was surprised to find the king curled in a corner, weeping. I wanted to comfort him, but I didn't know how. I turned to leave.

"Wait. Don't go."

I spun back around. "You can see me?" I asked, surprised.

He was staring at me with dull, green eyes. "Of course. I have the ability to walk among the spirits myself; it's not such a long shot for me to be able to communicate with them. I've seen you around once or twice. You've always looked preoccupied."

"Really? I hadn't noticed. Do you know if there are other spirits in the castle? There aren't many people I can talk to and it gets quite lonely sometimes," I admitted.

"Lucy says that she's spoken to you before. I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that you're the Levy she was telling us about earlier. I have to say, I'm quite interested in your tale, would you mind sharing it?"

I smiled widely, grateful to have someone new to talk to. "Sure. I just have to check on someone first, though. He'll get worried if I'm gone for too long."

"Someone else can see you?" he asked, incredulous.

I sighed heavily. "Unfortunately, no. But he can hear me."

He sat silent for a moment. "Maybe I can help with that; however, I want to hear your story first."

I nodded, catching on to the odd way he was telling me to hurry up, but when I returned to Gajeel's cell, I found it empty.

**YAY! Gajeel's not dead. And you can all hate me for making Mira the villian **


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: If you are reading this, then no, I do not own Fairy Tail.**

**Note: Still dedicated to Miki Boy, and that's not about to change, even if I take forever to update... Sorry. *Sheepish* Also, if you haven't been reading "Alight" then you'd better do it today, otherwise this chapter won't make a lick of sense.**

Against Death

Chapter 7

Levy POV

My chest pounded viciously. I forced myself to throw all the straw from one side of the room to the other, praying that he was hiding, playing a joke on me. He wasn't. I fell to the ground and started shaking. Realizing that loosing my head wasn't going solve my problems, I stalled my quaking limbs and rose. I decided to search the rest of the cells before searching the remainder of the castle.

I got as far as the door when two teenagers rushed past me... In the direction of the king's cell! I rushed after them, grateful – for once – that I was invisible to most people. They traveled from door to door to door, seemingly looking for someone. They stopped when they finally got to the king's door. I listened to their conversation for a short while. The young princess looked quite different with her hair dyed black, though her natural blue was showing through at the base of her skull where her ponytail was slipping I could see her natural, blue color. I watched as her bodyguard unhinged the door and knocked it down.

I followed the trio as they maneuvered the halls expertly and came to a stop at a white door. I was surprised to see that the king had not even broken a sweat where the bodyguard, Mystogan, was huffing slightly. Silently, the king opened the door and slid inside. Mystogan hustled the princess inside after, then he slunk in and closed the door. I phased through the wall and watched as the king was greeted by an old man and a brown haired girl that looked incredibly close to Lucy... Wait, that was Lucy... I smacked my hand into my head from my own stupidity. At one point I had to bite back a laugh because of Lucy's reaction to the entire situation. It would seem that the rush of news around her really made her head spin on her shoulders. The fact that the bodyguard's name was Jellal was what really set her off though. I chuckled burbled in my throat when I realized what good friends they were.

However, all those laughs died as the king told the princess about how he met his late wife. In his eyes I could see all the sorrow he felt for his loss, and all the love he retained after all these years. My heart truly went to the man, even if it could not ease his hurt. He hugged his daughter and whispered a few words in her ear.

The old man coughed. "So, what's our next step?" he asked.

The king pulled away from the princess, green eyes calculating the best option. "We have to get Wendy and Lucy off the grounds, then we'll attack them with everything we've got."

That was the last straw. Only one of these men stood a chance of going toe to toe with even one of the wizards, and he'd have to go up against Mira's four stooges before getting to Mira herself. Not to mention Gajeel.

Below, Jellal and the old man were swinging their heads back and fourth. Oops; guess I said that out loud. I smiled as they settled back into their seats, identical wary expressions plastered on their faces. "You know, you two could be related," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

Surprisingly enough, both started fidgeting uncomfortably at my joke. Could it be possible that they were, in fact, related ? I shook my head, choosing not to dwell on the matter. "Hello, Levy," the king said, finally spotting me near the ceiling. Three sets of confused eyes alighted on him, and the fourth began scanning the room.  
>"Who's Levy?" the princess asked, brushing a few black hairs out of her eyes.<br>Lucy came up behind the girl and started fixing her ponytail. She untangled the band from the black locks and worked the strands together using her fingers, all the while saying, "Levy is a ghost that lives in the castle. I told you about her once before, remember?"  
>"The one who can't remember her past?" question the girl.<br>I waited for the maid to respond before piping in with the information that I finally could remember my past. "Really?" replied the maid. "Including how you..."  
>"Died? Yes." I answered her unfinished question. "The woman that you and the old man -"<br>"Faust," someone interjected.

"Faust met when you first arrived found the Shadows and killed all but two of us. I had my head bashed against a rock, so I was unconscious when I died." My voice ended up sounding harsher than I originally intended.  
>The elderly man appeared puzzled. "So, you want revenge against this woman?"<br>I shook my head, forgetting for a moment that I couldn't be seen. "No. I don't care that she killed me, I probably wouldn't have lived much longer considering I had chosen the life of a thief instead of a duchess. No. I care that she has enslaved someone that I love and he can't do a damn thing about it." The anger I was feeling caused my body to buzz in the same way an adrenaline rush would have. I tamped down the emotion.  
>"You're hair is blue?" Wendy asked, looking directly at me. How strange..<br>I eyed the girl curiously. The princess' dark eyes never moved from my position. I floated a little higher, but her yes never moved. At a loss, I answered her inquiry. "How did you know?" I asked.  
>She looked puzzled, as if warring with herself. "I saw you. Just a second ago, but you're gone again now. I can see a shimmer... almost like a heat wave, but not much else." Jellal placed his hand on her shoulder.<br>Behind them, Loki eyed them approvingly, then he turned to me. "How strange. Levy, what were you feeling just a moment ago? Excited? Angry?"  
>"Mostly anger," I responded after a moment. "Gajeel was the leader. Calm, giving the orders, never taking them, and seeing him beat down by that demon..." My voice grew softer as my fury grew. "Unforgivable!" I screeched. On the mantle a glass figurine of a star began to shake. My fury was washed away as my fear and curiosity grew. The ornament's shaking gradually slowed to a stop.<br>King Loki went over and righted it. "Levy," he chucked. "It would seem that you're not very agreeable when you're angry."  
>I hung my head. "Sorry."<br>"No need to be sorry. Emotions are powerful things in life, are they not? Is it so inconceivable that they become a tool in death?"  
>I nodded, speechless.<p>

"As useful as this information is, perhaps exploring it further could wait," said Jellal, his hand still on Wendy's shoulder. "We still have to decide how to get Lucy and Wendy off the grounds."  
>Before Loki could answer, I had zoomed over to occupy the space behind the bodyguard and hit him across the head by concentrating all my anger in my fist. The young man started rubbing his head. "What was that for?" he complained.<br>"For assuming that Lucy and Wendy would be more hindrance than help. Females can be a great asset when fighting this enemy considering three of them are male. There are also two females amongst their group as well."  
>"How do you know this?" the old man asked, a suspicious glint in his eye.<br>I placed my hands on my hips, forgetting that he couldn't see the gesture.  
>"It's not like I've had anything better to do for the last few days."<br>"True," was his bashful reply.  
>A snap resounded in the room. Every eye turned to the brunette maid. "Thanks for the attention," she said. "Now, before someone says something stupid again, shouldn't we at least try to figure out what Mira is after?"<br>"Magnolia, obviously," the king replied.  
>"Sorry to say this, your Majesty, but Magnolia is just a stepping stone for her true goal. What she really wants is the Sky Dragon and the Fire Dragon," I replied, judging his reaction. Other than a flicker in his eyes, he looked contemplative.<br>"Have you any idea who these two dragons are?"  
>"I know who the Fire Dragon is, I believe. I didn't know it at the time and only recently learned that he was alive, so I don't know where he is."<p>

"Do you think he would help us if we asked?" Wendy said.

"Yes, but you guys would pay the price. Natsu... Well, Natsu has an animal-like mentality, so as long as no one gets hurt, he doesn't mind knocking down walls to defeat the enemy. Gajeel couldn't even remotely get him to understand. The only one that scared him was Erza, and she's past now," I explained, though I fear it sounded more like a ramble than anything else.

"Please tell me you aren't talking about Natsu Dragneel..." King Loki begged.

I looked at him apologetically. "Yeah, that's him."

The king hung his head in despair. "I can't tell you how many times that man has escaped arrest for causing havoc, at least now I know why he kept getting away. It's hard to catch a dragon. I wonder how Mira managed it."

I shrugged, not knowing the answer myself.

Eventually, the topic rotated back around to getting Lucy and Wendy out of the castle. None of us would back down until they agreed to let us go and get Natsu. Wendy and Lucy disappeared into the bathroom for awhile and washed the dye out of their hair and removed their contacts. When they reappeared, Lucy was once again blond haired, brown eyed and had trimmed her dress down so that it ended just above her knees and her sleeves were brought up to the elbow.

"To make it easier to move around," she said, pulling her hair up.

Wendy had undergone a similar transformation. Her trousers remained as they were, but her jacket had been removed and the sleeves cut to the middle of her upper arm. Her long oceanic hair had been braided down her back and her coffee eyes looked far less menacing than the blue contacts had made them seem.

"Ready to go?" I asked. She nodded, determined. "Then let's go."

**And three pages is my limit. Thanks for reading, and I will try to update within the next month... **

**Also, some of you may know that I am horribly addicted to reading FanFiction, so I'm going to be using of that Twitter button below ocassionally. You can find me as QueenyLeAcH, or you can go to my profile for the link. ^^**

**REVIEW if you please.**

**-LeAcH**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**I thought you guys might like to know a little about what's going on with Gajeel. Also, I'm sorry the chapter is so short, but I couldn't think of what else to add.**

Against Death  
>Chapter 8<br>Gajeel POV  
>The pain from my wounds before was nothing compared to the horror ripping through my body now. My abdomen was ridged and I couldn't move my arms from the rock hard kicks and punches that Mirajane was inflicting upon my all ready damaged body. "How dare you let him escape?" Mirajane cried. "You were right down the hall, you should have been able to catch the intruders!" The kicks became fiercer, harder. My vision blurred and darkness overcame me.<br>I was floating in a sea of memories. Everywhere I looked I saw Levy's hair, her smile, her eyes. I saw her face carved with anger and smoothed with bliss. I saw how she handled a book and how she lithely climbed a tree. I saw everything I loved about her. Then I remembered her voice and the feel of her beside me in the dungeon, even though I couldn't see her.

I wanted nothing more than to be able to see her one last time.

When I woke, Juvia was leaning over me, using her water to heal my deep wounds. She would leave the surface ones alone for Mirajane's ego. "You should stand up for yourself," she said after a moment.  
>"I wish I could. I would have left long ago and never looked back, but I can't. Her stupid collar keeps me chained-"<br>"Like a dog," she finished.  
>"Yeah."<p>

"Where would you go?"  
>I shrugged, well, as well as a beaten person on their stomach can shrug. "Somewhere far. I might go to Fiore or Thrall. Start anew."<br>"Sounds impossible... She'd always be on your mind. You'd never know true peace."  
>"You're wrong Juvia. She's not entirely gone. I felt her presence earlier."<br>Juvia became strangely quiet. "Do you think it's the same with Gray?" She finally said, softly, sounding wistful.  
>"Dunno. Maybe."<p>

**Super short, and a tad informative. ^^**

**Review!**

**-LeAcH**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Note: Before reading this, go read ****Against Death Chapter 11 ****in order to get every part of this story in order, otherwise you could end up seriously confused. Sorry for the inconvenience of switching between the two stories like this, but I didn't want it to get repetitive. ^^**

**Many thanks to my beta Vixen48!**

Against Death

Chapter 9

Lucy POV

Apprehension filled me to the core, and with every step I took the feeling deepened. I was glad that I had successfully gotten Wendy out of the castle, but she was so determined to return. Did she realize that we wanted to keep her away from the castle, not because she was the princess, but that she was the reincarnation of the Sky Dragon? Part of me prayed that she was oblivious, yet another part wanted too tell her so that she would see reason. I glanced at Levy who was staring at Wendy - well, examining her was more like it.

I shook my head and turned my attention to the task at hand. Loki had told me Natsu's last known location and I was in charge of leading the way. Oh boy. "Turn right," I called to Wendy, whom I had made sure was in front of me. She gave no indication of hearing me aside from turning at the next intersection.

Rapidly, we approached a stone building with its windows knocked out. One wall was missing, with only its skeleton was left to hold up the ceiling. "Yep. Natsu's here," Levy confirmed, leading the way to the door. She passed through the wall while Wendy and I caught our breath outside.

A scream was heard inside, and a young man tore around the corner. His hair was a brilliant pink and fire was spouting from his mouth as he shouted, "Come on, ghost. Come and get me. I dare ya!"

"Natsu!" Levy replied, following behind him. This act continued for the next few minutes until the Fire Dragon finally calmed down enough for Levy to explain our situation. "So you want me to fight this Mira?" he clarified, deadly serious.

"Yes," the ghost replied. "Please, Natsu. She's got Gajeel under some sort of spell and he can't fight back. I saw him beat _bloody_, Natsu." She was on the verge of tears by the end of her plea. I wished sorely that she was solid so that I could comfort her.

A fire lit behind the dragon's pebbly orbs. "I'm gonna kill her," he said, only seconds before he started running. He was fast - enough said.

I glanced at Wendy. "You ready?" I asked. She looked up at me, every ounce of determination she had shining. "What are we waiting for?"

We hadn't gone far before I saw something odd galloping toward us. It was a lion with a pure gold mane and long legs. I recognized the form and called everyone to stop. "What is it?" Levy said.

"A lion, he's coming right for us. It's the king," I explained hurriedly.

"Lucy," the lion said. "Jellal uncovered some useful information while battling Mira. She said that she was the darkness and that the Dragons are the light. I can't stay any longer. I am needed to fight here. Hurry." The lion's form faded and soon I was staring at empty space.

I relayed Loki's message to the others. Natsu smiled widely. "Then there shouldn't be a problem." He smacked his two flame-covered fists together. "The Light always chases away the Darkness."

"Exactly. Chases away, not defeats," I pointed out. "We need a way to get rid of her permanently, otherwise, she'll just return in a few years."

Everyone grew silent. "Then we'll cover the world with light," Wendy replied. "I have a plan. Levy, no, Lucy, go with Natsu and help Papa and the others. Levy and I need to get some altitude."

Before I could protest, the young woman had started running toward the edge of town. I looked at the blue haired girl beside me. "Follow her." Levy nodded and sped off after my charge. "Let's go," I told the young Dragon.

We raced through town at breakneck speed before entering the castle. I lead the way to the throne room. The doors were open and within I could see the two kings holding their own against three wizards. Jellal was standing on the dais facing Mira, who had his sword sticking out of her gut.

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu exclaimed as he went to aid Jellal. I grabbed the closest weapon I had at hand, a set of keys on a ring and went to aid my king and his old friend.

I entered the battle with gusto. The last time I had fought, I was a child on the road, escaping a country torn apart by war with my next door neighbor and closest friend. I separated one key from the ring in a fluid motion and sent a charge into it. The metal zinged with the ancient energy of the stars. I pointed it at the closest man, one with auburn hair and a swift sword. He was swinging at Loki, only missing the agile king by centimeters. "May the stars guide your lost soul," I said. "Energy Raid!" A blast of pure blue energy burst from the tip of the key and hit the man dead on. He crumpled like a rag doll.

I tossed the key aside and pulled off another. This one I charged with a different sort of energy, that of a comet. I feared that using Energy Raid more than once would dampen the effect like it had when I used it against a bandit. I sighted my next target. This man had his brown hair in a swirled up-do and wore large glasses that hid the better part of his face. I repeated my blessing and shouted the name of the new spell. "Comet's Blaze!" A white mist appeared and wrapped around the man, not letting go until he was unconscious, only then did the attack disperse.

The exhaustion hit me hard. I had used too much energy in the first attacks._ Lucy, you're out of practice._ I turned, prepared to gather the last of my energy for one more attack and saw that the last, and largest man had been felled by the combined might of the two kings while I was fighting with the second man. I smiled at our small victory, then everything went black.

**Next section: Alight Chapter 12**

**Review!**

**-LeAcH**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I own nothing! I hope you guys are enjoying the story. ^^ If not, let me know why. That is what the Review button is for, after all.**

**Many thanks to my beta Vixen48!**

Against Death

Chapter 10

Levy POV

I followed Loki to the infirmary, and sure enough, Juvia was hovering over Gajeel's battered form, a wet cloth in her hand. She looked up silently. "If you plan on beating me to a pulp for doing something out of my control, then you can wait until after I finish tending to this man."

I hovered over and took a seat by Gajeel's head. If Juvia saw me, she gave no indication, just continued to clean his wound. The bowl of water beside her was all ready a fair shade of pink.

"I have no desire to harm you," Loki said. "I just saw you come this way and followed."

"I've been in here for over an hour. Think of a more plausible excuse please."

"Very well," I went into the throne room after you left and defeated your comrades. They are currently unconscious on the ground. I wanted to be sure you would not be an issue, so I tracked you down."

"Mirajane isn't defeated yet, and she wouldn't have let you get away alive."

"How would you know?" Loki asked, approaching her carefully.

"It's part of Mirajanes's curse. She captures when a person is completely broken, easily corruptible. She orchestrates this by watching us, then killing our most important person. From that day on, she knows everything we do, and we always know where she is should she call." The rag was submerged in the water and wrung out. "Nor can we cause her any physical harm, hence the state of this poor man. He is the strongest of all of us. He fought her control, and got beaten for his insubordination." Her voice held a hint of admiration, and more than a little sorrow.

"Thank you," I said, forgetting once again that I couldn't be seen.

Juvia jumped, clearly scared. "Who's there? Show yourself," she demanded, all traces of a cool exterior vanishing.

"Sorry," I said. I looked at Gajeel in his broken state and called up the feeling of blood-soaked fury. I released it soon after, sure that she had seen me. "I'm Levy. It's nice to meet you, Juvia. Gajeel told me much while I sat with him in the dungeons."

Juvia started giggling hysterically. "I'm talking to my best friend's dead girlfriend. I must really be losing it."

We waited calmly while she steadily figured things out, as if riding waves. One second, she was quiet, then she was making a ruckus again the next. The commotion eventually woke Gajeel. "Shut up, Juvia. You're giving me a headache." He glanced at Loki. "Who's he?"

Juvia just looked puzzled and shrugged. Loki extended his hand. "Pardon me for not introducing myself sooner. I am Loki, king of the land you are currently residing in."

"Good to know. I'm-"

"Gajeel. I'm well aware. Levy has spoken of you on multiple occasions."

Gajeel's eyes widened at the mention of my name. "Levy?" he whispered.

"I'm here," I said, trying to show him all my relief and love in those few syllables. Suddenly, the walls shook violently.

"We have to get out of here!"

Loki and Juvia got on either side of Gajeel, supporting him. We raced to the other side of the infirmary, and the door that lead to the outside world.

**Next up: Alight Chapter 13**

**Review!**

**-LeAcH**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**Note: The end has finally come. This is the final chapter.**

Against Death

Chapter 11

Levy POV

It's amazing how the world always looks brighter after it's almost ended. It almost makes one forget about the barriers that keep the living from the dead, though, not for me.

I was all to aware that Gajeel was scarcely two feet from me, and that he could hear, yet not see me. I wanted to curl up on the grass beside him and put my head on his lap, but knew I would just fall through his legs.

"Gajeel," I started, rising from my place on the ground.

"Levy," he interrupted. "Don't." He closed his eyes in defeat. We both knew what I was trying to say, what had to pass.

"I'm sorry, Gajeel, but it's time."

He sat up, eyes still closed, probably trying to hold back tears. I wanted to reach out and comfort him, but I couldn't. I COULDN'T! I couldn't do anything for him. I can't hold him, can't feel him, and can't look him in the eye. Tears started coursing down my cheeks.

"Levy, I don't want you to go."

"I know, but I must. I'm not meant to be here anymore."

Gajeel pulled one of his knees up to his chest and rested his elbow, then his forehead on it. "Dammit!" he yelled, slamming his other fist into the ground, creating a crater. I knelt down in front of him, frustrated with my own limitations yet again. "I just got you back and now I'm losing you again."

"It won't be for forever," I tried.

He shook his head. "Dragons have a longer life expectancy than humans. It'll be a long time before we are reunited again."

"You still would have lost me," I reasoned.

"I know, but I would have had you for a longer amount of time."

"I know," I repeated. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"We'll see each other again before you know it." I smiled, forgetting for a second that the man I loved could not see it, then I let myself be taken by the light.

I stayed there for what seemed like an eternity. When I returned to Earth, I was an infant.

* * *

><p>"Leva!" my mother called. "You're going to be late. Get a move on!"<p>

"Coming!" I replied, slamming my notebook shut and stuffing it into my backpack. Today was my first day at the new school. I would be able to be someone other than the girl that spent all her time writing about dragons and ghosts and thieves. I would make friends and be normal.

I rushed out of the house and down the street to the school. I was able to get there in a few minutes, after jumping a yapping Chihuahua and swinging over two kids playing with a red, rubber ball. I ended up skidding into the principal's office with no time to spare.

"Hello, Miss MacGarden. It's nice to see you made it on time," he said, rising from his seat. "I'll have a student aid show you around. Wendy!"

A little girl with stunning blue hair and chocolate eyes entered the room, wriggling. "Y-y-yes, Sir?"

"This is Leva MacGarden. Please show her around the school."

The young woman nodded and reached for my hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Wendy Marvel. I hope we can be good friends."

Something in my gut told me that she was absolutely right. "Me too."

We left the office and started down a hall lined with black and blue lockers. "Can I see your schedule?" I rummaged through my pockets for the piece of paper and handed it to her. "Thank you." Her eyes scanned the page expertly and we swung a right at the next crossing. Soon we stopped in front of a black locker at the end of a very long hallway.

I dialed in the combination and the locker opened after I tugged on it for a few seconds. I stuffed my school notebooks and spare writing utensils into it. Then we continued on our way. Wendy explained how to read the schedule and led me to my first class. The smile on her face was odd when we parted. It was like she knew something that I didn't.

I walked into the classroom and my heart stopped.

In the corner a boy was sitting, grouchily watching the teacher. He spotted me and a torrent of memories that never belonged to me passed through my mind, but they were my memories I realized.

"Gajeel…" I whispered.

**Hope you guys enjoyed the story, even if you didn't understand all of it. Message me with any questions should you have them. ^^**

**Review?**

**LeAcH**


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